EPOV

"Edward! Edward!" The photographers yelled as soon as I stepped out of the town car.

Emmett had a security team surrounding me, which I was grateful for. I left my sunglasses on so the flashes of the cameras didn't bother me.

"Edward, did Isabella already dump you?" One guy taunted.

Another one piped up. "Did you abandon your family?"

I held my head up as I walked into Masen. That was the plan; I show face here and throw off the media. Also, if Bella decided to check up on me, she would see I was here in Chicago.

What Bella didn't know was that tomorrow morning, I'd be flying to Seattle with Emmett. Newton thought he'd be meeting with my brother in Phil's office. Little did he know that I'd be there as well.

"Mr. Cullen, would you like us to escort you upstairs?" Felix, my head of security, asked.

"No. I know the way, but thank you, Felix," I said, giving him an assuring smile.

I went straight to the elevator and when it opened at the top floor, Emmett was standing next to the doors. It was almost after hours so his assistant had already left.

"Look at you in that suit. See you couldn't shave though," Emmett teased.

"Bella loves the beard," I said with a smirk.

"Bet she does," he snickered.

We were walking to his office and, as we started to pass my father's, I asked nervously, "Is he here?"

"He said he had business out of town… He didn't know you were coming."

"Has he said anything?"

"He's pissed at all of us. He still doesn't talk to Ali so that's nothing out of the norm there, but me and Carl — he hasn't said a word. He thinks we all were in cahoots with you, faking your death," he said, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, we all faked my death because I don't want rights to my children," I added dryly.

I really felt great disdain toward my father. I was still fairly young when my mom passed but I remembered him being more involved before Alice was born and my mother's death. We went on vacations and sailing. He loved nothing more than to take Mom out on our boat.

My mother, Elizabeth, had been a gentle soul. I remembered her explaining Alice to me. Carlisle and Emmett were old pros when it came to having an infant in the house, but I was the baby of the family. In a house full of brothers, my mom told me that I needed to be the one to watch out for my new sister. I would be the closest to her in age, but, Mom told me, I would be her big brother.

"I wouldn't worry about him while we're doing our thing," Emmett told me. Him being so flippant made me worry in itself.

My father was always up to something. Our lives had been planned by him since birth, until each one of us derailed those plans. Emmett had been the only one that hadn't disappointed him—until now.

"What's the plan?" I decided to ask.

"We're going to go back to Dad's lake house to try to dodge the media and get some sleep, and we'll leave around four tomorrow morning," he explained. "Phil has a car that will be waiting for us at the airport and he's staying at his townhouse. The press has been following him, so if he stays in they won't go to his office."

Emmett looked at me and inhaled deeply. "Are you sure you want to go through with this?"

It was a good question. During my flight to Chicago, I had battled with what exactly I was doing. It didn't sit well with me that I had lied to Bella. I knew though, that this would be the only way to deal with Newton, once and for all. I didn't want him near Bella and I absolutely did not want him anywhere near Emma.

"I need to protect my family," I said simply.

Emmett nodded in understanding.

"I have the non-disclosure agreement Garrett's office wrote up," he informed me, entering his office.

Once inside, Emmett grabbed his messenger bag and I had to laugh at how 'Emmett' he was. He didn't act like a high power executive; he even drove his own car. It made me think back to my behavior before Bella. I had ordered people around and had drivers on hand.

I suddenly felt ashamed.

I stayed quiet as Emmett led me down to his car. He kept the car he sent for me waiting out front and he had parked in the loading bay. This way the media wouldn't be able to see us. When we did pull out from the back of the building, I saw the distraction the waiting car had caused. After we'd been driving for about ten minutes, Emmett called the driver, letting him know it was okay to leave.

Emmett drove us out to Dad's lake house. As he pulled onto Dad's compound, I felt relief. A private plane would be picking us up here, which also helped us out and kept us from being noticed.

"You already miss them?" he asked as we went into the kitchen.

"I haven't left them since I met them, which sounds insane. I also have never been away from Cameron."

"I still can't get over you're a dad," he said with a shake of his head.

"When Bella was in labor with him, I couldn't wrap my head around the fact that I helped create him," I told him honestly.

Still to this day, I felt such pride for Bella and the amazing partner and mother she was. I knew I couldn't live without her.

"Now that I've had time to process, I don't blame you for staying."

"Really?"

"You fell in love and have a beautiful family. I don't think you would have found that here— especially if Tanya had managed to fool you into marrying her."

"I think you're right," I agreed.

Emmett made us dinner and we were off to sleep. I restlessly tossed and turned the majority of the night. I missed Bella not lying beside me and Cameron not waking us up. Emma usually dove onto our bed in the morning if we were sleeping.

I needed to make sure Michael Newton left us alone.

The next morning, Emmett had a Tom Ford suit waiting for me. I suited up and met him out on the green. He had our father's golf cart and we drove down to the air hangar his plane was in.

"This plane looks smaller than what I remember." I sighed.

"Nope. Same size, little brother," he replied teasingly.

We greeted the pilot and he told us we'd be in Seattle in a few hours. For the whole flight, I didn't know what to expect from this situation. If this doesn't work out, I could lose Emma, and lose Bella for lying to her. Newton could fight Bella for custody.

Phil's office was ours for the afternoon. He had a car service picking Mike up. Everyone employed by Phil that was a part of this all signed NDAs.

Once we arrived at the airport, a Mariners' food supply van was waiting for us.

"Really?"

"This is how we go in undetected," Emmett said with a shrug.

The back door opened up, revealing Charlie. I shook my head, but was happy to see him.

"I called in the big guns," Emmett explained.

"Took you long enough," Charlie grumbled.

"Oh, come on Chief, you've been here for five minutes," Em said lightly.

Charlie's eyes narrowed, but he shook our hands as we got in the back of the van. He asked me about Bella and the kids. He missed her—I could tell from the look on his face. It was hard for him to be this far away from her.

The van pulled into the loading area of the stadium and we met with Phil's assistant, Bree. She led us up to the Mariners' corporate offices. We set up for our meeting and I sat at Phil's desk. Charlie and Emmett sat in the corner window that overlooked the field.

"Mr. Cullen, Mr. Newton is here to see you," Bree announced over the intercom.

"Please send him in, Bree."

I watched the door open. The man walking into the room didn't have a clue about what was about to happen. He was wearing a navy polo and khaki cargos. Did he think this would be casual?

"Oh," he said as his arrogant smile dropped from his face.

He looked from me to Charlie and Emmett.

"I would assume that 'Oh' is for me," I said standing and holding my hand out. "Edward Cullen."

He stared at my hand, but wouldn't shake it. I smirked and took my seat.

"I was told I was meeting with Emmett Cullen," Newton sneered.

"You are. He's in the room," I said, gesturing at my brother flippantly. "You were inquiring about my fiancée so I figured, why not go as close to the source as possible?"

Newton ran his hand through his hair. "Do you enjoy playing daddy to my daughter?"

"If I'm not mistaken, Mr. Newton, your daughters live here in Seattle with you and your wife. My daughter lives with me and my fiancée," I explained as if he were an idiot.

"Cullen, that little girl is not legally yours."

"She's not legally yours either. Her father is listed blank on her birth certificate."

He stared blankly at me, looking like he'd just been sucker-punched.

"Why are you here, Newton?" Charlie asked, still sitting in the corner of the room.

"I have a child who I had no idea about! I see her in the park and Bella junk punches me and leaves."

Emmett had his hand on Charlie's shoulder in a way of restraint.

This was going to be harder than any of us imagined.

….

BPOV

"Bella, can you come out here for a second?" Angela, my desk manager, asked.

Cam cuddled into me as I sighed and stood. Edward left this morning and I felt a gaping hole beside me. Today had been my day off, but I couldn't stand being home without him. So I brought Cameron in with me while Emma was in school. I mainly focused on office work.

Good thing though that I looked professional in my sundress and blazer. Let's not forget the teething little boy who refused to let go of me—perhaps that didn't really help the professional image, but it fit me perfectly.

"What's up?"

"Claire double-booked the Kennedy Cottage," she explained.

"Was the cottage requested by either guest?"

"No."

"Okay, give one of them the Kennedy and the other the Washington Cottage. Knock off a day on both of their bills and include complimentary breakfast for tomorrow," I added.

"Thanks, Bella," Angela said, smiling gratefully.

I watched her go behind the main desk and help Claire. Cameron lazily started to play with my hair.

"What do you think about lunch, big man?" I murmured, rocking him slightly in my arms.

"Ma Ma Ma…" he trailed off as we walked into Edward's restaurant.

"Hey, Bella!" Liam greeted me from the bar.

"Hey, Li," I said with a smile.

I sat on a stool, keeping Cameron on my lap. He clapped his hands as Liam made faces at him.

"He's getting big," he said.

"I know. Before we know it he'll be getting into everything." I sighed. "Remember when Emma started walking?"

"Your dad panicked when he visited," Liam chuckled. "Knowing Ed, your place is probably baby-proofed top to bottom," he teased.

"Definitely is. Emma keeps whining that she can't open anything! All this time off, these two get a lot done in one day."

It was true—with Edward holed up these past few weeks, he became a handyman around the house.

I turned, seeing a man at the end of the bar. He was nursing his drink. His stiff posture and casual clothing didn't look like he was enjoying his vacation.

"What's his story?" I asked Liam.

"He's seems quiet. He's been here for about thirty minutes," he told me.

"He looks uncomfortable," I added, catching another look at the man.

His hair was a rusty, graying color, so I'd say he was in his sixties at least. His chiseled jaw line told me he was probably a real looker in his youth, but he definitely had a sadness to his blue eyes.

"Is he a guest?"

"Has a tab set up with his room," Liam explained.

"Can you get me my usual and some fruit for this guy, please?" I asked.

"Sure thing, boss."

I stood, placing Cam on my hip, and made my way to the gentleman at the end of the bar. He was watching the television Liam had ESPN on.

"Hello," I greeted.

His stare snapped to me as he blinked. There was something very familiar about this man. He sat rigid, almost like he didn't know how to relax. I noticed he was looking at Cameron.

"Hello," he said cautiously.

"I'm Bella Swan. I'm the owner here. I just wanted to check in on how your stay is going," I said politely.

"Is he part of the staff?" he said, nodding toward Cam.

"Maybe in the future," I teased. "Give him a few more months and he'll be running the whole show."

I looked down and saw my son grinning toothlessly at the man. The man now had a slight smile.

"How old is he?"

"Just turned seven months," I said proudly. "He's a little on the small side, but that's okay. His size is all he got from me—everything else is from his daddy."

I tickled Cam's side, causing a giggle to erupt. The man looked like he wanted to say something, but remained quiet.

"Bella, got your order," Liam called, holding up a tray.

"What do you suggest for lunch?" the man asked quietly.

"The crab cakes are what we're known for. I'd say definitely try them," I suggested.

"Will do, then."

"I hope you enjoy your stay. If you need anything else just ask for me — Bella," I offered.

"Thank you."

As I walked away I couldn't help but feel sympathy for the man. He held a pained look in his eyes that said whatever he had been through had been a struggle.

A/N: Sorry this is a bit late, trying to get this right. EPOV is a part one of sorts. Huge thank you to Astro2009 for betaing!